The present invention pertains generally to mobile earthworking equipment and particularly to a roller equipped ground insertable member carried thereby.
Heavy equipment used at various construction sites for moving earthen material typically is equipped with pointed teeth or shanks to facilitate dislodgment of the material being dealt with. Rocky subsoil presents particularly difficult penetration problems and results in rapid tooth and/or shank wear. Further, conventional teeth normally require a prime mover of considerable horsepower to effect penetration and breakup of hardearthen areas. As the earth penetrating member must be driven into the earthen material, the force required is directly proportional to surface friction encountered on the members' surfaces which typically are inclined to impart a wedging action. Tooth and shank maintenance costs constitute a significant cost to the machine operator by reason of frequent replacement or repair.
The closest known prior art to the present subject matter is toothe and shank structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,393,014 issued July 16, 1968 to L. Ascher, Jr., which disclosure concerns an earth insertable tooth carried by an earthworking instrumentality with said tooth having roller means thereon disposed at the tooth leading edge. The patent disclosure is primarily directed toward the fracturing or scoring of pavement to form lines of fracture which subsequently serves to denote the boundary of the work area. A further objective of the patented structure is the scoring of paved road surfaces to assure fracturing thereof along a predetermined course to preclude pick and/or jackhammer work. The roller component is, as noted, located forwardly on the tooth or shank and accordingly is subjected to extreme loading were the tooth or shank to be driven into rocky subsoil in the manner of the present invention.